When The Lecturers Will Be Back In Class…
The air around our institutions of higher learning is saturated with
‘freedom’ as the lecturers’ strike enters its sixth week. Freedom?
Did I just mention freedom! Err… actually freedom demands much
responsibility thus I doubt if it fits this context. Allow me to use
‘lawlessness’.
‘It is a wild party time’. That is the best description I can give to
students activities around school and even for some who are at home,
although delving into the details will make long this article, which I
rather intend to keep short. The general challenge glaring at us,
students, at this crucial moment is how to utilize our eternity of
time. With options range from siring ‘micro-comrades’ through
experiments carried outside the lab and against the manual to building
ourselves a block higher through wholesome activities.
In this article, I intend to help us flip the other side of the coin
and seize the opportunities in this challenge. The impression or value
of any event or persons we meet greatly depends on our perspective;
how we see or take things. A handy example is the heading of this
article; When the lecturers will be back in class. If you consider the
statement carefully, you will notice that there were two eligible
positions I could have placed the modal verb ‘will’. The first option
was after ‘when’ thus making it a question and the second choice,
which I have opted for, is inserting it after the word ‘lecturers’ to
express a future inevitable event. Of course on the surface it is a
mere play with English words but the real deal is, I wanted to
demonstrate that it is always important to move away from whining by
deliberating on the paths we take.
So, what can I do with the eternity of time I have? I am glad you are
wondering so. Pretty much. Really, pretty much. To start with, remain
a student. Class work has nothing to do with this. The point I am on
is about being open and responsive to continually learning. Classic
books come in handy. Read Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich,
Shakespeare, Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People
among many others. Did you know that most classic books are free?
Maybe on some platforms they charge a small amount of something like $
0.09 for translations. (The original works have pretty complicated
English!). While we cannot master and apply every guide in them, the
underlying truth is that they civilize our approach to issues and
life. Besides, continually keeping in touch with the world of books
boots self-esteem and happiness. In addition, this is the time for us
to go beyond the scope of our courses. The fields of psychology,
philosophy and general history are rich. Oscar Wilde correctly
observed that, ‘It is what you read when you do not have to that
determines what you will be when you cannot help it’. End your day
with Stephen King’s or David Baldacci’s novel or any of your favorite
best seller.
There are also a number of upcoming events worth your time, in and
around JKUAT. For instance, JKUAT Multimedia and Development festival
2017 which is set for 22nd -23rd March on the theme of Refocusing
Communication for Desired Change and JKUATES boot camps on cyber
security, ethical hacking & digital forensics and mobile app
development set for 6th -25th March. For updates on these and other
events, follow Discover JKUAT on twitter and Facebook. Most courses
have additional packages. It is in order to find out the ones required
for your course and take advantage of the ongoing strike. These
packages will set you above the rest in the job market.
Lastly, let me point out that we should not forget wholesome
recreational activities. Maybe the latest season of Conjuring has
slaved you in the room the whole day (though I pray it does not, so
that you may have time for the above) but do not fail to cycle in the
evening and enjoy the fresh air. Juja is very beautiful at sunset. If
bicycle is not your thing, then I am very sure that there is a hobby
of yours; singing, dancing, drawing, painting, writing… which you have
been considering for sometime now. And mentioning hobbies, I recommend
you go and watch Steve Jobs’ documentary to understand that that gift
in you can pave your way to greatness. It is available on YouTube.
I am putting my full stop on this article but not on the list of
productive activities that we can engage in so that when the lectures
will be back in class, we shall have built ourselves a block higher.
